Davide Toffolo announces retirement from comics at Comicon Napoli

Davide Toffolo, one of Italy's most original and beloved comic artists, announced his retirement from the medium during the Comicon Napoli festival, held from April 22 to 25, 2022. The announcement came during the Micheluzzi Awards ceremony on Sunday, where Toffolo, serving as the festival's 'magister,' stated: 'It's been thirty beautiful years. My books will remain. Making comics is hard, I tell the new kids, do it with the same energy I did. I'm moving on to something else.' The declaration shocked attendees, including hosts Matteo Stefanelli and Valerio Lundini, who exclaimed, 'That can't be true.' Born in Pordenone in 1965, Toffolo graduated in anatomical drawing at the University of Bologna and studied at the Zio Feininger comic school under Andrea Pazienza and Lorenzo Mattotti. His existentialist comics explore inner conflicts, emotional relationships, and history through characters full of sweetness, anger, and rebellion. Notable works include 'Graphic novel is dead' (2013), the 'Cinque allegri ragazzi morti' saga, and 'Pasolini' (Rizzoli Lizard, 2015), an imaginary dialogue with the poet. Other titles include 'Primo Carnera,' 'Come rubare un Magnus,' and 'L'ultimo vecchio sulla Terra' (2021), dedicated to Remo Remotti. Toffolo is also frontman of the rock band Tre Allegri Ragazzi Morti, founded in 1994, which recently released 'Meme K Ultra' in collaboration with Cor Veleno. His future focus may shift toward music.